The Independent Probe Newspaper

05/07/2025

Samuel Tweah Hints Expenditure Under WEAH Were made on National Security Request

-------As Supreme Court Suspends Proceeding in Tweh, Others Corruption Case

It seems members of the former ruling CDC currently under probe for corruption and other mal-feasting are turning their eyes to a blanket amnesty of acting on ‘National Security’ purposes.

Addressing members of the National Executive Committee of the CDC
National Youth League, this week, former Finance Minister Samuel Tweh hinted that all allegations against him were ‘national security expenditure’ that is amply protected by Liberian law.

Tweh told the CDC Youth League, that He and the accused now look up to the judiciary for guidance in concluding the case.


“The question today we will ask is why would people in our society, in our government, in our political parties, in our media, in our religious institutions know the honest truth, or aspects of this truth, but would refuse to say anything when blatant falsifications are being hashed by malicious individuals to destroy innocent people. Why do those who know the truth on matters become willing accomplices to destroy others by their dangerous silence?”

“Today, I will demonstrate how this evil information manipulation was deployed and weaponized against the administration of the CDC and how people are intent on sustaining this culture of lies to destroy people in our politics. Those of us who have been caught in the crosshairs of these machination will fight back with every means at our disposal, intellectually, politically and of course, legally.”

“This will not be and should not be how we conduct our politics. We cannot fight corruption by lying on innocent people; by sustaining fake and false narratives in the public when the facts are evident and clear as day. Those who have determined to sustain this culture of lies and dishonesty in our politics and society must be fiercely resisted and fought so that we arrive at a more honest national discourse that will focus on the serious issues affecting our people. Today’s conference is about initiating that fight; it is about demonstrating how targeting Samuel Tweah and keeping his name in the public even when he has not done nothing wrong appears to be goal of some in our politics and in our media.” Indicted Tweah told cheering supporters.

Tweh quickly linked talk-show host and US. Felon Stanton Witherspoon, was being one of the individuals used to malign his character with spew of misinformation on his handing of the financial space of Liberia during the four years as Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Republic of Liberia.

Samuel Tweah: ‘One of these individuals is Mr. Stanton Witherspoon. Mr. Witherspoon has used his Spoon network to malign my person and spew out misinformation concerning me for more than four years while I served as Minister of Finance. Even out of power, he continues to pursue me. Although Mr. Witherspoon faces several lawsuits for libel, he does not seem deterred in maligning innocent people, aiming to destroy their reputation.

In the last six years, I have treated these machinations as coming with the political territory, offering public clarifications or denunciations. I have always believed a public official should be willing to withstand public scrutiny. But malicious attempts to demean and damage the reputation of an individual is a far cry from public scrutiny. Clearly, these lawsuits have evidently not deterred Mr. Witherspoon and those of his ilk.
Today, I am exposing the conspiration by Mr. Witherspoon and others to get Samuel Tweah involved in some false $30 million COVID-19 scandal” for which Mr. Witherspoon said on his network on last Thursday, June 26, 2029, that “I would be arrested” by government.” I have here the video footage of Mr. Witherspoon’s comments and will play it before taking questions.

More than 100,000 Liberians must have heard this malicious garbage. Several persons have since called me to ascertain the veracity of his injurious rant against my person, and since, people are actually having conversations about my “pending arrest,” with some urging me to change my sleeping location. All of this for something, not only that I really didn’t do and for a wrong I did not commit.
Let it be clear that if the Government is investigating the COVID-19 WFP food distribution, it is the WFP that would be under investigation and not former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah. “ Tweah said.

Former Finance Minister Tweah consistently said he believes He publicly demonstrated the abject falsity and bogosity of these Witherspoon-inspired rumors concerning a supposedly the $30 million COVID scandal, the public will appreciate the extent and scope of the conspiration against me.” Former Finance Minnister Tweah told the CDC Youth League.

Meanwhile, The Supreme Court of Liberia on Tuesday, July 1, suspended a scheduled hearing into a writ of prohibition filed by former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah and four other former officials of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government.

The Court cited “reasons beyond its control” for the delay.
The hearing was expected to address a petition challenging a decision by Criminal Court “C” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie, who previously denied a motion to dismiss an indictment against the former officials.
The suspension was announced by Supreme Court Clerk Cllr. Sam Mamulu, who stated that a new date would be communicated to the parties through their legal representatives. No additional explanation was provided.
The case has drawn public attention due to the high-profile nature of the accused and the underlying allegations of financial misconduct. The officials are accused of authorizing the transfer of over L$1 billion and US$500,000 from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) to the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) without statutory approval.
The Court’s decision to postpone the hearing follows a recent motion filed by state prosecutors seeking the recusal of Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyeneh Yuoh. The prosecutors argue that the Chief Justice is no longer eligible to hear new cases, having reached the constitutional retirement age of 70 on June 26, 2025. Under Article 72(b) of the Constitution, a justice who reaches 70 may conclude ongoing cases but is barred from initiating new ones.
If the motion is granted, Chief Justice Yuoh would be removed from the case, requiring the Supreme Court to be reconstituted before proceeding. Legal experts say such a development could delay the hearing further and potentially affect the outcome of the case.
The writ of prohibition, filed earlier this year, seeks to overturn Judge Willie’s refusal to dismiss the charges. In February 2025, Judge Willie ruled that the case should proceed to trial, rejecting the defense’s motion. In response, defense lawyers filed the writ, effectively pausing proceedings in the lower court.
The defense maintains that the accused acted under presidential directive, invoking Article 61 of the Constitution and the National Security Reform and Intelligence Act (NSRIA).
They argue that their actions were carried out in the interest of national security and are therefore shielded from prosecution. The prosecution, however, contends that the transfers were unauthorized and violated legal and financial procedures.
Legal analysts say Tuesday’s suspension may offer the defense an advantage as it seeks to challenge the case on constitutional and procedural grounds. At the same time, the motion to remove the Chief Justice adds a new layer of complexity to an already contentious case.

05/07/2025

Former Finance Minister Samuel Tweh To Sue Talkshow Host Stanton Witherspoon Over Misconduct Accusation

In a bold move following recent accusations, former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweh has announced his intention to initiate a global investigation against Stanton Witherspoon, a public figure who publicly accused him of misconduct.
The allegations evolve around the purported misuse of a US$30 million fund allocated for COVID-19 relief efforts aimed at supporting small businesses and underprivileged communities in Liberia.

During a press conference held on July 4, 2025, at the CDC National Party Headquarters in Congo Town, Tweh vehemently denied the claims made by Witherspoon, asserting that the remarks were not only false but damaging to his reputation. “If the government wants to politicize this, we will politicize it,” he declared, indicating his readiness to fight back against perceived political attacks.

Tweh emphasized his confidence in the judicial system, stating, “I am also not afraid to go to jail for the wrong reasons.” His comments reflect a defiant stance against any potential legal implications stemming from the allegations.

The former Finance and Development Planning Minister’s commitment calling for transparency and accountability in the face of these accusations signals his intent to clear his name and possibly hold Witherspoon accountable for what he describes as defamatory statements.

The controversy surrounding the COVID-19 fund has raised significant public interest, with citizens demanding clarity on how the funds were utilized during the pandemic. Tweh’s announcement of a global investigation aims not only to address the specific allegations against him but also to restore faith in the handling of funds intended to assist the vulnerable populations in Liberia.

As the situation develops, many are watching closely to see how the legal proceedings unfold and whether the investigation will bring to light further information about the management of the COVID-19 relief funds in Liberia.

03/07/2025

Liberian President Joseph N. Boakai is among five African heads of state invited to attend a high-level summit hosted by U.S. President Donald J. Trump in Washington, D.C., from July 9 to 11, 2025, Report Liberia has confirmed. The summit is expected to focus on strengthening U.S.-Africa relations,....

03/07/2025

https://independentprobenews.com/liberia-president-boakai-among-five-african-leaders-invited-by-u-s-president-donald-trump-for-high-level-summit-in-washington/

Liberian President Joseph N. Boakai is among five African heads of state invited to attend a high-level summit hosted by U.S. President Donald J. Trump in Washington, D.C., from July 9 to 11, 2025, Report Liberia has confirmed. The summit is expected to focus on strengthening U.S.-Africa relations,....

02/07/2025

—-President Boakai Gives Fromer Presidents Dignified Reburials Last weekend President Joseph N. Boakai set the stage to gave a dignify reburial for former Liberian President Samuel K. DOE, Murdered in cold blood by former Rebel General Prince Y., Johnson. At the historic funeral of the murdered Li...

02/07/2025

—–Launches pioneering digital resettlement and land compensation policy IPNEWS: ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML), a key player in Liberia’s mining sector, has launched a pioneering digital resettlement and land compensation policy designed to bring fairness, transparency, and structure to its land ...

02/07/2025

Hell Breaks In Grand Gedeh Over the Remains of Former President Doe and 1ST Lady Nacy Doe
----As Daughter Accuses Senator Pennue of Stealing Parent Casket Away

IPNEWS: Veronica Mamie Doe, daughter of the late Liberian President Samuel K. Doe, has Accused Grand Gedeh County Senator Zoe Emmanuel Pennue, of instructing Unknow masked men to steal the remains of her parents’ and orchestrating the unauthorized reburial in his hometown.
In a Facebook post on Thursday evening, Mamie Doe claimed: “ZOE PENNUE INSTRUCTED PEOPLE TO STEAL OUR PARENTS CASKETS AND BURY THEM IN TUZON AGAINST OUR WISHES. NO ONE CONSULTED US.”
Minutes after her post, Senator Pennue post on his FACEWBOOK PAGE saying “Mamie Doe who are a small girl, we own Grand GEDEH AND NOT Boakai who using you to make me small. I’m burying my uncle using our Tuzon traditional’
Tuzon is the birthplace of the late President Doe, but Mamie insists that the family was not consulted before the reburial. The allegation further escalates the long-standing feud between Mamie Doe and Senator Pennue, who have been at odds for years.
Earlier this month, the Doe family publicly distanced itself from Mamie’s previous accusations against Pennue, including her claim that he was involved in the death of her mother, former First Lady Nancy B. Doe. Nancy Doe who passed away recently in Monrovia after a brief illness, according to family sources.
During an appearance on The Spoon Talk Show, Mamie Doe reiterated her allegations, accusing Pennue—a close family associate—of complacency in her mother’s death. She also notably rejected condolence gifts from former President George Weah, considered an adopted son of Samuel Doe.
The ongoing rift was evident at the signing of the Book of Condolence this week at the Centennial Pavilion, where Mamie Doe and Senator Pennue sat in strained silence in the family section. The remains of the former president and first lady were transported to Grand Gedeh County for final funeral rites, including a reburial for the late president.
President Joseph Boakai arrived in Grand Gedeh to attend the ceremonies. Samuel Doe, who ruled Liberia from 1980 until his ex*****on in 1990 by INPFL rebels led by the late Prince Yormie Johnson, was originally buried in a marked grave in Monrovia before his remains were reportedly moved.
Samuel Kanyon Doe remains a polarizing figure in Liberian history, having come to power in a 1980 coup before being overthrown and killed during the civil war. His widow, Nancy Doe, maintained a low-key lifestyle in Liberia until her passing.

02/07/2025

From Mass Grave To Own Grave
----President Boakai Gives Fromer Presidents Dignified Reburials

Last weekend President Joseph N. Boakai set the stage to gave a dignify reburial for former Liberian President Samuel K. DOE, Murdered in cold blood by former Rebel General Prince Y., Johnson.
At the historic funeral of the murdered Liberian president which coincided with the funeral of his wife former Fist Lady Nacy B. Doe, President Boakai called for national unity through constructive dialogue and never to return to the bitter past.
The funeral follows 35 years after the assassination former President Samuel Kanyon Doe (1986-1990).
The state funerals are part of the reconciliation process following its violent past.
The ceremony took place on , June 28, 2025, in the Town Hall of Zwedru, the capital of Grand Gedeh County (southeast), about 12.4 miles from Doe’s hometown Tuzon.
Two coffins wrapped in the national flag were transported by a truck through the streets of Zwedru: one symbolically for the former president, whose body is still missing, and the other contained the remains of his wife, Nancy, who died in May last year.
The President of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, attended the ceremony and declared a national mourning this week, from Tuesday to Friday.
“This is not just a burial; it is a moment of national reflection, a time to reconcile with our history, to heal from our wounds, and to remember with respect and purpose,” said Boakai, who served as Minister of Agriculture in Doe’s government.

“The civil conflict that followed his tragic death inflicted deep scars. But through God’s grace, we have enjoyed peace for over two decades,” the president emphasized.
Born on May 6, 1951, Doe was a politician and military leader who served as the 21st president of Liberia from 1986 until his assassination in 1990.
The leader led a coup d’état in 1980 that overthrew President William Tolbert, becoming the first non-American-Liberian leader of Liberia.

Doe suspended the Constitution, assumed the rank of general, and established a provisional military government, with himself as the de facto head of state.
He dissolved the Executive in 1984 and attempted to legitimize his regime with a new democratic Constitution and general elections held in 1985.
Doe won the elections with 51% of the votes, although proceedings were marred by widespread allegations of fraud.
The Doe government was characterized by authoritarianism, corruption, favoritism towards his ethnic group, Krahn, and the persecution of the Gio and Mano ethnicities, especially after surviving a coup attempt in 1985, which generated growing opposition to his regime from the population and the United States.
The First Liberian Civil War began in December 1989 when the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), opposed to Doe and led by Charles Taylor, invaded Liberia from Ivory Coast to overthrow him.
The following year, Doe was captured and executed by the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL), a splinter group of the NPFL led by warlord Prince Johnson.\
The came Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at the reburial ceremony of former president William Richard Tolbert, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai urged Liberians to do all to reject forces that try to divide them. The President further urged his compatriots that as they resist those evil forces, they should “choose peace over vengeance, unity over discord, and progress over stagnation. The Liberia we seek to build must be one where the legacy of our leaders is honored with truth, with respect, and with accountability.”
The President, who is the 24th President of Liberia, made his plead when he eulogized one of his compatriots and former colleagues—President William Richard Tolbert— for his visionary leadership, his bold reforms, Pan African Spirit, his enduring belief in the young people of Liberia, social justice, economic empowerment, and the unification of all Liberians. Former President Tolbert was the 20th President of Liberia.
President Tolbert and his Administration were violently overthrown in a bloody coup d’etat in April 1980.
Speaking further, the President reminded Liberians in the hall of the Centennial Pavillion and outside, that the ceremony was in “solemn remembrance to honor the life and legacy of a statesman, a patriot, and a servant of the people, the late President William Richard Tolbert, Jr. This moment is also one of reflection, reconciliation, and national renewal.”
“Today, we gather to memorialize, with full dignity and honor, a son of Liberia whose story is deeply connected to the history of our republic,” the President said among other things.
Background
Nearly 46 years ago, on April 12th and 22nd, 1980, under the auspices of the Peoples’ Redemption Council (PRC), headed by then Master Sergeant Samuel Kanyon Doe, President Tolbert and some senior officials of his Administration, were executed. The former President was murdered on the night of the coup—April 12 and on the 22nd— his officials were murdered by a firing squad on poles planted on South Beach behind the Barclay Training Center (BTC).
Earlier on Saturday, April 12, 1980, Doe along with 16 enlisted non-commissioned soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), staged a bloody coup d’atat that overthrew the Administration of President Tolbert, who was a Mason’s Past Grand Master. The President and some of his very close associates were murdered during the commission of the crime by the soldiers. Following the upheaval, some influential government officials, including the Presiding Grand Master, E. Reginald Townsend, Past Grand Master Frank E. Tolbert, Sr., President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Past Grand Master Richard A. Henries, Speaker of the House, and other prominent government officials, majority of whom were masons, were rounded up and executed few days later by a firing squad. It is believed that all the bodies of these men, including the President and others who were killed on April 12, were dumped in one mass grave.
So, on Tuesday, February 18, the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons headed by Most Worshipful Brother Willis J. Allen, Grand Master, joined the families of the slain men, and went to the Palm Grove Cemetery, where the remains of the executed men were exhumed so that the President could be given a proper burial. The remains of the men were not differentiated but were all properly buried back in one hole on Tuesday, July 1st, 2025.
On that day in February, Ms. Mai Bright-Urey, daughter of the late Honorable Dr. Cyril A. Bright, Sr., former Minister of Agriculture, who was one of the men slain, announced what would have happened to the remains of their fathers in few months’ time.
She informed everyone that on July 1st, 2025, the exhumed remains will be finally, properly interred at a site that the Baptist Seminary graciously gave to the families. The burial plot and every other thing associated with it were projected to cost a little over US$100,000, including what was done on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
Who Were the Men Murdered/Executed:
1. His Excellency Dr. William R. Tolbert, Jr., President
2. Honorable C. Cecil Dennis, Foreign Minister
3. Honorable James A. A. Pierre, Chief Justice
4. Honorable Richard A. Henries, Sr., Speaker, HOR
5. Honorable Frank E. Tolbert, Sr., Pres. of the Senate and older brother of the President
6. Honorable Joseph J. F. Chesson, Sr., Minister of Justice
7. Honorable D. Franklin Neal, Min., Planning & Economic Affairs
8. Honorable E. Reginald Townsend, Chairman, True Whig Party
9. Honorable James T. Phillips, Former Min. of Finance before the coup
10. Honorable Cyril A. Bright, Sr., Minister of Agriculture
11. Honorable John W. E. Sherman, Min. of Commerce
12. Honorable Charles D. B. King, III, Representative, Nimba County
13. Honorable Frank J. Stewart, Sr., Director-Gen of the Bureau of Budget
14. Honorable P. Clarence Parker, III, Treasurer, True Whig Party
15. Brigadier General Charles E. Railey, Jr., Aide Camp to the President
16. Honorable A. Benedict Tolbert, Director of the Cabinet
17. Honorable Gabriel E. Moore, Mayor, Special Security Services (SSS)
18. Honorable Spurgeon Capehart, Commander, Post Stockade
In recent days, President Boakai has received many commendations from critics and allies for his initiative that leads the nation toward genuine reconciliation of the nation. The families of those men had longed for this day when their fathers would be given proper burial to close a very bad chapter in the history of Liberia.
The President was joined at the Centennial Pavillion by some of his able lieutenants including Finance and Development Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, Justice Minister and Attorney General of Liberia, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, Education Minister Dr. Jarso M. Jallah, etc.